CAMBRIDGE – For a second year in a row, against the same fellow Cape Ann League juggernaut, the Manchester Essex boys tennis team watched on in need of just one more point to win the Div. 4 state final Sunday afternoon at MIT’s DuPont Tennis Courts – this time from one of their two doubles teams amid three-set thrillers.

Once the No. 2 team of seniors Charlie Rubens and Shay Engelhardt won their matchup (6-3, 4-6, 6-2), the rest of the top-seeded Hornets rushed the court; right through a brief stoppage in the ongoing No. 1 doubles match in-between them and their deciding victors.

Top-seeded Manchester Essex also won two of the three singles matches, edging out No. 2 Lynnfield, 3-2, for the repeat state championship.

“Probably not the best thing (to do to celebrate),” joked Hornets head coach Rob Bilsbury. “(But) it’s amazing. These are just beautiful high school moments. Hats off to Lynnfield, (they’re) so awesome. Win or lose, these are those huge high school moments where everything is on the line, your buddies are cheering for you, you’re trying your hardest. Someone’s got to win, someone’s coming in second. To win it, it was just awesome, and it was great to see that reaction – just heartfelt team camaraderie.”

Last year’s title team graduated three point-earners from the state final, meaning different guys had to step up.

Sophomore Alex Montaresi was new to the school this year and stepped into the No. 2 singles role. He defeated Shlok Kydrimoti in straight sets (6-3, 6-2) for a much-needed point. Senior Charlie Langendorf was on the No. 2 doubles team least year, but saw a hole at No. 3 singles that needed to be filled. He defeated Brady Trippe, also in straight sets (6-0, 6-2).

Both went undefeated this year outside of their losses to Div. 1 state champion St. John’s Prep.

“To have a player of (Montaresi’s) caliber, that gives you a chance to go back-to-back,” Bilsbury said. “He’s been nails for us all season. … (Langendorf) just elevated, seeing a need. And he has such a growth mindset.”

After Lynnfield’s Shea McCarthy defeated Jack Cummins (6-0, 6-0) in No. 1 singles, all eyes turned to the two doubles matches that went to three sets.

Pioneers seniors Raffi Arkun and Matt Reinold went on to defeat Jack Lawler and Finn Birkeland (6-4, 3-6, 6-4) in No. 1 doubles, making the duo of Rubens and Engelhardt all the more important – with all four playing in a high-pressure moment.

“It was really awesome just having the group effort of everyone in the whole program just cheering on every single point,” Bilsbury said. “(Rubens and Engelhardt have) been warriors for us all year. … Just to pull that through, it was just awesome.”

Though Cummins lost his matchup to McCarthy, Bilsbury couldn’t say enough about his impact.

“He has been the groove for this group,” Bilsbury said. “He has such a passion for tennis. He makes us who we are by holding it down at (No. 1) for us, it allows the depth of our team to kind of unfurl. He’s such an important part of what we’ve done in these past two years. … He’s been absolutely amazing for our program. We don’t do what we did without him.”